To keep their companies afloat during the third wave of the Movement Control Order, the tourism and hotel industries are willing to enforce tighter Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) (MCO).

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) president, Datuk N. Subramaniam, said in a statement that the industry is willing to lower capacity limits, served-buffet facilities or a maximum of two per table, reduced dining time, increased screening, and even mandatory testing for hotel guests arriving from different states.
Last year, when the government introduced MCO for the entire fasting month, the industry lost at least RM135 million in food and beverage revenue, according to Subramaniam.

"We've seen similar circumstances in other nations, where governments offer subsidies to companies for losses caused by failure to function, based on either business hours or volume affected."

The tourism and hotel industries are once again helpless as a number of states are hit by another round of MCO, this time in the middle of the fasting month, when hotels are busy planning for the upcoming Hari Raya holidays and serving the once-a-year festival buffet for breaking fast.

"Extended interstate travel limits have already had a negative effect on hotels, and now RMCO to RMCO travel has been halted." Hotels had changed their breaking fast buffets to the new standard after the start of Ramadan, with additional SOPs in place to ensure hygiene and the safety of guests," he said.

The industry recognizes the need for constraints, but Subramaniam believes there is space for change in balancing lives and livelihoods.

If the pandemic situation worsens, Subramaniam believes the government should prepare a systemic subsidy scheme for businesses impacted by the MCO.

"The government must also expedite vaccination plans, especially for economic frontline workers such as hoteliers, and find new ways to obtain more vaccines."

"At the current rate, it is highly unlikely that Malaysia will achieve herd immunity any time soon," he said.